Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $610 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $957 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,304 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 40% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sidi Bel Abbes 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.26 DZD 431

-39.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$21.28 DZD 2,820

-11.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.80 DZD 503

108.42%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.38 DZD 49.74

402.63%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.60 DZD 80.2

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.27 DZD 35.59

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.96 DZD 260

12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.44 DZD 323

55.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.98 DZD 130

67.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.09 DZD 11.59

1700.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.57 DZD 208

-24.84%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.84 DZD 244

9.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.83 DZD 1,170

79.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.35 DZD 709

-43.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$16.26 DZD 2,155

-33.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.16 DZD 419

-17.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.80 DZD 372

-56.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.71 DZD 227

-0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.75 DZD 99.8

110.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.56 DZD 74.0

135.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.50 DZD 66.0

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.60 DZD 79.6

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.37 DZD 49.45

51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.68 DZD 355

69.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$9.73 DZD 1,289

87.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.34 DZD 177

36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.15 DZD 285

50.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.19 DZD 25.39

368.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$17.66 DZD 2,340

9.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.72 DZD 95.8

87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 DZD 44.16

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.15 DZD 682

60.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.36 DZD 48.16

252.78%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$33.0K DZD 4.4M

-35.90%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-33.48%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.2 ฿2,294

$40.32 DZD 5,342

73.98%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.77 ฿450

$9.19 DZD 1,218

49.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$17.26 DZD 2,287

1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$18.10 DZD 2,399

129.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.46 DZD 724

5.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 ฿10.0K

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

222.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,530 DZD 467.8K

319.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$36.78 DZD 4,874

47.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$45.65 DZD 6,048

-42.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$73.9 DZD 9,788

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$76.1 DZD 10.1K

-8.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$191 DZD 25.3K

121.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$116 DZD 15.3K

106.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$274 DZD 36.3K

200.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$184 DZD 24.3K

180.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$363 DZD 48.0K

75.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

-7.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $191 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 75% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Sidi Bel Abbes – so Sidi Bel Abbes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Sidi Bel Abbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 40% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $915 in Sidi Bel Abbes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.8 in Sidi Bel Abbes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $610 in Sidi Bel Abbes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidi Bel Abbes costs $610 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sidi Bel Abbes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.